Morning thought 2Tuesday June 15
Good morning
yesterday I talked about my experience of going to refugee camps in Macedonia in
the very early days of Mustard Seed Jersey. During our time in that country we were also able to visit some refugees who were
living in the community and to them we took food, toiletries and anything that
we were told would be useful for them. As we used donated money (including much
from Jersey) to help the refugees we were guided by the people in the country
about what was most beneficial.
Listening to the refugees talk about their experiences was usually very
challenging often heartbreaking but there were some
humorous times as well. Through our translator one of the men said something to
me that I have never forgotten. He emphasised that he was very grateful for
what he had been given in terms of food but he said that some of the food that
have been imported and donated really didn’t agree with their stomachs. In
particular he mentioned sauce on the baked beans and explained that his family
found it far better to wash away the tomato sauce and just use the beans.
That really taught me something, because so often we give what we want
to give rather than what the recipient wants or needs to receive.
In our ongoing work with Mustard Seed Jersey this is a balance that we
always struggle with as we try to match what is given to what is needed.
A prayer: Lord God
of all creation we give you thanks all your good gifts. Grant that as we give
and share with those is need we will give as Jesus
himself would give and give with love.